A Tale of Two Christmas Wishes
by JSweetHeart86
Summary: On the night before Christmas Jacob comes face to face with the truth about how his parents fell in love at Christmas time.  Once Jacob knows how things worked out between his parents will he be able to use it to save Bella from her past?


MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS, and Prosperous New Year... This is a THANK YOU FOR ALL THE FAV./Alerts I have received since I started writing back in Oct. 2011... U all are very encouraging,welcoming, and supportive!

Especially my Beta: Melinda(Dorme99), JBlackness11, Jake'sSheWolf, and GG/PrintingPaws if it were for them I never would have put any of my ideas on paper :-)

Also I want to thank my faithful reviewers (you know who you all are!) ... they comment on every update and a few on more than one site! I love u all even though I've never seen ur face! On that note, Enjoy your Christmas Gift

Rating: T

Paring: Jacob/Bella and Billy/Sarah

**Summary:** On the night before Christmas Jacob comes face to face with the truth about how his parents fell in love at Christmas time. Once Jacob knows how things worked out between his parents will he be able to use it to save Bella from her past?

_**Authors' Note:**__**This story is a collaboration between Dorme99 and Jacob'sSweetheart86. The setting is New Moon during the infamous four pages (October,November, December, January). The Cullens will not return in the scenario.**_

___******Disclaimer:**__**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.******_

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><p><strong>A Tale Of Two Christmas Wishes<strong>

_"...Every Christmas, every Christmas  
>There's a magic in the air when the holiday spirits true<br>I listen to the voices as they floats my way  
>It must be the music that the angels play<br>If people all over the world could just hear it too_

Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas  
>It's the time of the year<br>When all good dreams come true

I look at all the the toys under the Christmas tree  
>It makes me think about the way things could be<br>If people all over the world could see them too..."  
>- She &amp; Him, "Christmas Wish"<p>

My dad didn't get it. He had no idea what it was like to watch someone you cared about be in so much pain. Although, I think knowing that there was nothing you could do about it was worse.

I have done everything in my power to be there for Bella. I'd went so far as to call her every other day to talk. However, I did all the talking and every once and a while she would sigh. I even went old school and wrote her a love letters and poems, but still I was just some little boy to her, some poor family friend who lived on the reservation. I wanted her to notice that I wasn't a child anymore. I certainly didn't feel like one, and with each passing day I looked less childlike.

I felt my father's eyes on me before he even spoke. I let out a morose sigh as I glanced in his general direction. I knew what the tenor of this conversation would be like and I wasn't in the mood to hear it.

"Jacob, please cheer up, it's Christmas time. I know Bella is having a hard time, but you don't have to suffer along with her."

"Yes, I do! That's what friends are for!"

I was so sick of everyone telling me I should just back off. I wasn't backing off. I would save Bella from the darkness that haunted her if it was the last thing I did. It was Christmas for god's sake. Where was _my_Christmas miracle? All I wanted was for Bella to be whole and happy again. Even if it wasn't with me.

"Jacob, I feel like I am missing something. I mean sure I know you and Bella were acquaintances before the Cullens left, but you seem to be taking this rather hard. Are you in love with her son?"

Jacob looked his father in the eyes. He really wanted to roll them but decided to get a hold of his emotions.

"Dad, I told her! I tried to warn her that Edward and his entire creeped out family were no good. I even told her about the treaty and the legends, but none of it worked. So, I tried a different route. I was a great friend and a shoulder to cry on. I listened to her complain about Cullen not wanting to be ...sexually intimate...that was just wrong dad on so many levels."

My father's face looked like a cross between pain and happiness. I was about to continue with my small rant when he motioned for me stop, and he took a deep breath.

"Jacob, I know I don't like to talk about your mother. However, I think telling you about how we got together may help you figure out the best route to go with Bella. In other words, I understand what it's like to want to be the hero and save the woman you love from herself."

My father took a deep breath and I could see his eyes go to a place in the past. The sadness in his eyes lightened, a little bit as he continued, "When I watch you and Bella together it's like stepping back in time and seeing your mother and me all over again."

Consequently, I felt myself becoming apprehensive because it was an unspoken rule in our house that no one talked about my mom at Christmas time, even though it had been years since she'd died. The pain of her not being there when we woke up on Christmas morning was almost too much to handle.

I felt the searing burning sensation take a hold of my chest. If I wasn't already used to the all consuming fire in my heart, then I would have been rendered breathless. However, this was nothing new; it surfaced every time someone brought up my mother's name.

The fiery pulse in my chest continued and expanded through out my body. My heart and mind couldn't handle the loss of my mother and Bella in the same moment. So, I quickly turned away from my father. I attempted to get to the front door as fast as my feet would take me.

"Jacob, please just hear me out. What I have to say may be difficult for you to hear, but it will be worth it. If in the end, it gives you what you want more than anything else in the world, and we both know you love her. I know you love Bella with every fiber of your being because that's how I loved your mother."

I could sense the pain my father was in physically as he told me this. I also knew my father wasn't playing fair. He knew that I would do anything for Bella. I would be anything for her, especially if it would bring her eyes back to life. I slowly turned around and sat down in a chair directly in front of him.

We locked eyes as I sighed out," Fine, I'm listening."

My dad turned away from me as he rolled his chair toward the living room window. After he reached his destination, he simply gazed through the curtains. I watched my father as he took a deep breath in order to speak.

"You've been told the story of how your mother and I met many times. While this may be true, I've never told you about Sarah's relationship with her mother. Her mother both had physically abused Sarah emotionally and physically. Sarah always seemed like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders and early on I made it my personal mission in life to put a smile on her face."

I was in shock. I could feel my mouth hanging open. At that moment, my father turned away from the window. They say that the eyes are the window to a person's soul and in that moment, I saw his. He wasn't my father anymore. He was Billy Black.

Billy's eyes were glossy from a few tears that broke free from his eyes. They fell at a slow and steady decent down his aged, weathered cheeks. Billy quickly wiped them away with the back of his hand as he continued to talk.

Jacob watched him pause to compose himself, "It took months of trying but eventually, Sarah started to smile more everyday. I like to think it was because of me. In addition, she began to spend more time at my house then her own. Sarah was there so much, that my mother automatically set a place for her at the dinner table every night. In my mother's eyes she was already apart of our family."

Billy allowed a genuine smile to grace his face. He appeared too happy in the mist of his sorrow. Jacob wondered if that was possible. Could he make Bella happy while she was in her own personal hell?

His father interrupted his thought with, "I knew we were young, but I knew that I loved Sarah. I knew already that one day I'd make her my wife."

Jacob felt like his father was reading his own mind. That was exactly the way he felt about Isabella Marie Swan. He longed for the day when she would be his. He longed for the day that he could wake up to Mrs. Isabella Marie Black. "Bella Black" for short.

Jacob smirked at the thought and his father cleared his throat as he continued," When we were eleven I'd decided that I wanted to get her something special for Christmas. I didn't have any money, but I knew I could make something for her with my own two hands."

Billy looked down at his aged hands and smirked at the memory. He chuckled and then pressed on, "Your grandfather had been spending the past few years teaching me how to carve. It was perfect timing because Sarah had a bracelet that she'd gotten for her birthday a few months earlier. The bracelet was sterling silver, the kind that you could attach charms to."

That instantly gave Jacob an idea. He knew that Bella liked handmade gifts too. He sighed as Billy went on, "However, it didn't have any charms on it. I 'd decided that I'd carve a small heart that she could attach to the bracelet."

"It took me six days to make the charm for her because I wanted it to be perfect. I decided that I didn't want to give her the gift in front of everyone else. I really wanted her to never forget how special she was to me, so I came up with a plan." Billy smile became brighter at the memory.

Jacob felt himself smile slightly. For the first time in weeks he felt hope. Jacob wanted to be like his father. He wanted to do something special for his Bells. His father's words came back to the forefront of his mind.

"I'd decided that I would sneak out of my house a few minutes before midnight. I crept toward Sarah's house. Luckily, she had her own room. As I got closer, I became jittery with excitement. I clenched the small charm in my pocket. I had faith that she would love it. I snuck into her room without having to worry about someone else being in there with her."

Jacob could feel his jaw drop open for the second time that evening. He couldn't imagine his all knowing father sneaking around some one's home in the middle of the night. Jacob wondered how Charlie would feel if he woke up Christmas morning and found him asleep on Bella's floor.

Jacob was unaware but sometime during Billy's speech he had moved to the edge of his chair. Billy stopped talking and laughed at Jake's face. It was a glow with amazement. Jacob motioned for his father to go on.

Billy continued on with his story, but he had a smirk plastered on his face," I'll never forget the look of elation in Sarah's eyes when I handed her my poorly wrapped gift. I waited with batted breath, as she opened the small box. Sarah even paused for a moment before she pulled out the small wooden charm. My heart did flip-flops when she gave me a smile bright enough to light all of La Push and she flung herself at me and hugged me with all her might."

Billy smiled at the memory of his first Christmas with Sarah, but he knew the mood of the story was about to shift. He wheeled closer to Jake before he went on with his Christmas love story.

"So, from that Christmas on, I climbed into her bedroom window with a new gift for her at a minute after midnight. After the first Christmas, she surprised me and always had something for me too. Out of all the gifts she'd gotten from me, Sarah cherished the small wooden heart most of all. Mainly because I had made it for her. I presented it to her with no expectations. She knew I did it because I loved her unconditionally."

Unconditional love, Jacob knew that even at sixteen that's how he felt for Bella. Their love was powerful, pure, and rarer than any precious stone. He had to tell her. Jacob needed to get through to her tonight.

"So, I get it Dad. You had a true love and she had a bad family life, but no one ever got in between you. You never had to compete for her affections. I had to compete and I lost! I lost her to Edward and all he did was hurt her! I could have loved her, I still love her. I'll always love her even if she's not with me."

Jacob's voiced trailed off into silence. Billy nodded his head and simply told him he wasn't done. That he knew the pain he was talking about. Billy knew how it felt to see the woman of your dreams be some one else's doormat.

"Once Sarah and I got into high school we began to slowly drift apart. My father had begun to prepare me to take over as chief, which meant I got less time to spend with my friends. Sarah had matured into a beautiful young woman. In like fashion, she always had a swarm of boys around her vying for her attention. We were unofficially together, but everything changed when Travis came into our lives."

Jacob sucked in a breath. Who was Travis? He couldn't imagine his mother with anyone other than his father. Especially, in light of the first part of his story. This Christmas wish had become dark. Jacob could sense it in his father's tone of voice. Billy looked at his son and squared his shoulders as he moved on with his tale.

"Travis' family moved to La Push from the Makah reservation our junior year of high school. The girls called him fresh meat. So naturally, they all ran themselves mad trying to gain his attention. For the most part, he was a quiet, loner, and not interested in anyone. Until he started to notice Sarah. As fate would have it, Sarah and Travis had English together. As the halfway mark in the semester approached they were paired to do a project together.

"They spent hours together after school doing research at the library. I tried to be as supportive as possible. I knew how important it was for Sarah to do well in her studies, she desired to go off to college and needed good grades. At the same time, I had a hard time dealing with all the time she was spending with Travis. We had a few disagreements about about Travis' intentions toward her. Deep in my soul I knew he was attracted to Sarah. Of course, Sarah told me that I was being paranoid and that I needed to trust her."

Jacob knew where this was headed. This was starting to become depressing until it hit him. Obviously, his father had come out on top. This had to be a story about encouragement.

This was his way of telling him to keep the faith. Billy hoped that his message was being delivered. Reliving all these moments with Sarah were painful, but he owed it to his son. Billy mustered up his courage and proceeded with the tale.

"A few weeks later, Sarah and Travis presented their English assignment and they received an A+. I was so proud of Sarah. I wanted to take her out to celebrate that weekend. I told her that I would pick her up Saturday night and we would go somewhere special.

"I never got to take Sarah out because early that Saturday morning, she showed up on my doorstep. I noticed that she didn't have the bracelet on that I'd given her and it looked like she'd been crying. She told me that Travis had invited her out to celebrate their A. While they were out, he'd told her that he had feelings for her. Sarah realized that she had feelings for him too and she wanted to give them a chance."

My dad stopped talking and took a moment to collect his thoughts. I could tell that telling this part of his story was going to be very difficult for him. After a few moments, he took a deep breath and continued to talk.

"She tried to justify ripping my heart out by saying that we were never officially a couple and that we were young and needed to explore our options. I was devastated. I loved your mother and I knew that she was it for me. She wanted us to still be friends and since I couldn't bear to not have her in my life at all I agreed."

Jacob stood up from his seat and began to pace the living room floor. This can't all be true, were they living in the twilight zone? How could him and his father have such an eerily similar experience with the woman of their dreams? Dreams, wishes, and nightmares, what a hellish combination at Christmas time.

"Dad, why didn't you tell me this sooner. I know you and Mom got together! Why tell me all this? Why put yourself through the pain? What do you want me to do," Jake spat the stream of questions to his father, but he didn't respond.

Billy simply cleared his throat and continued talking as if Jacob hadn't interrupted him at all.

"They became inseparable. It was sickening and painful to watch her be happy with someone else. My friends called me stupid. They told me that I should just get over her. There were plenty of other girls that would love to be with me. The problem was that those other girls were not Sarah."

Jacob locked eyes with his father and walked back to where he had been sitting. He mouthed, "_I'm sorry, Dad."_

Billy nodded his head and gave a weak smile as he spoke softly.

"After about six months of Sarah and Travis dating, I began to notice that something was off about their relationship. She barely hung out with her friends anymore. When I saw her at school she was always by Travis's side and she barely spoke to anyone. When she didn't realize I was watching her, there were brief moments when her happy mask would disappear and would be replaced with sadness and pain. It made me wonder what was going on between them. Sarah had regressed back to the small pitiful girl I had known when we were children.

"I wanted so badly to talk to her and find out what was going on, but Travis made sure that one of the first friendships she ended was the one between her and I. She didn't speak to me anymore. She wouldn't return my phone calls and she wouldn't acknowledge me when we were at school.

"It didn't take long to figure out what was going one between them though. I started to notice that Sarah seemed to jump whenever Travis made sudden movements, during warm weather she always had on long sleeves, one time, I noticed a bruise she'd attempted to cover up with make-up."

Jacob was mortified. It couldn't be true, no way in the world would his mother have allowed someone to beat on her. Jake began to vibrate with anger. A warming sensation started from his heart and began to spread like a wildfire through his veins. He was about to take off, but Billy's voice brought him back into the moment.

"I couldn't stand back and act like nothing was happening. One day, during lunch I managed to corner her in the girl's bathroom. Since I had her trapped, I demanded to know if Travis was hurting her. At first, she denied it. However, once she saw I wasn't going to let the situation go; she admitted that he'd hit her a few times.

"Naturally, Sarah defended him. She claimed that Travis was depressed about what he had done. In addition, Sarah went on to say Travis had promised never do it again. I on the other hand, didn't have the same faith as she did in him.

"I even tried to convince her that she deserved better than him or any other man who would put their hands on her. Sarah got very defensive and accused me of trying to break her and Travis up because I still had feelings for her.

"Sarah's words cut me deep. She knew me well enough to know that all I'd ever wanted was for her to be happy. If her being with someone else was what she needed to be happy then I would have dealt with that. What Travis was doing to her was wrong and she needed to leave him for her own safety.

"She told me to leave her alone and that I needed to move on with my life. The next morning I left a note on her bedroom window letting her know that no matter what, my window would always be open for her."

Jacob couldn't believe what he was hearing. He'd always seen his mother as a strong and brave woman. The person that his dad was describing was not Sarah Black. She was in stark contrast to the woman he had known. Jake felt like his father was describing a random stranger, picked up off the street.

Billy only paused for a few minutes. He let his words sink in and then picked up where he left off.

"Life went on and Sarah stayed with Travis until Senior year. She'd finally gotten up the strength to walk away from that poisonous relationship. I was proud of her, but I kept my distance. I figured if she wanted me back into her life she would come to me.

"A few weeks after she broke up with Travis I noticed that she was wearing my bracelet again. At the same time, I received a note from Sarah thanking me for never giving up on her. In addition, she apologized for how she'd treated me."

"So your saying now that Bella is broken, just give her some space. Let her come to her senses and wait? Dad I tried that! She's walking around like,_" Night of the Living Dead!"_Why do I always have to be the second choice? Why couldn't I have been her first love? What's so wrong with me? Let's face it, it's because I am just some poor kid from the wrong part of town!"

Billy let his son rant and yell for a few minutes. He needed to get out all the pain before he could move on. Billy knew that Charlie and Renee didn't raise Bella like that. Jacob knew it too, but he was frustrated.

Jacob looked at his father and whispered, "I know, I shouldn't have said that. Bella reminds me so much of Mom. I just know that if Bella would let me in. We could have something so special. We could have Christmas everyday of the year. Everyday, would mean something to us, Dad. I would never let her forget how lucky I am that she choose me."

"I know you would son. I think Bella knows it too. I think she just needed time to really put herself back together. If she's anything like you mother, she'll realize your the one," Billy finished his statement and then told Jake the last part of his journey.

"I put a note on her locker letting her know that she was forgiven. that my window was still open for her anytime she needed me. Weeks went by and still we had yet to speak to each other. On a positive note, the negative tension between us was gone. Besides, I'd already decided that Sarah would have to be the one to initiate a friendship between us again.

"At 12:01 on Christmas of our senior year, Sarah tapped on my bedroom window. Of course, I didn't even question he about why she was there, I simply just let her in. I am glad I did because that was the first time, Sarah told me that she loved me.

"Sarah went on to say if I would give her another chance, she would spend the rest of her life doing all she could to make me happy. Hearing those words from her was music to my soul. All the hurt and disappointment had been worth it. The trials had done nothing but make our love for each other stronger."

Billy ended his tale there. He couldn't bare to tell anymore. Billy knew in his heart that Bella would see the wonderful man she could have in Jacob. Bella just needed time and a little reassurance. Billy looked at his son and could hear the wheels in his head as they turned.

At the same time, Jacob thought about what his father was saying. In his soul, Jacob now knew that his father understood his grief over Bella.

Now was his time. Maybe this was his day to make his dream a reality. His father's tale had definitely given him hope.

Good things come to those who preserver Jake chanted in his thoughts. Lord knows Jacob had been waiting. Moreover, he knew that in his soul he would wait a lifetime for Bella. She was his life, his reason for being.

"Dad, do you still have the bracelet you made for mom?"

Jacob looked into his father's eyes, they were shining with tears that he was holding back. He walked over to his father and put his hand on his shoulder in an act of comfort. They both let out a sigh.

Jacob let everything that was in his mind come out of his mouth in a rush.

"I was thinking maybe I could give it to Bella today. I want to go by her job and maybe take her to dinner. If she'll go with me. I just want to see if Bella's been getting the things I've left for her."

"Son, let me go get it. Just wait here for a moment and I'll be right back."

Billy wheeled off in the direction of his room. Jacob watched him as he disappeared into his bedroom. As soon as he was out of sight, Jacob reached into his pocket to retrieve his cell phone. Jake pressed the number one key, which was programmed for Bella and Charlie's home number. When no one answered, he tried her work number.

"Happy Holidays! You've reached Newton's Outfitters. We've got everything you need to make Christmas the perfect outdoor adventure. This is Bella speaking, how can I help you?"

Jacob paused for a second as he listened to Bella's soft voice. She could fool everyone else that she was happy but he could hear the cracks in her voice that told of the darkness that was haunting her from the inside out. Jake could hear her get agitated and sigh.

"Bells don't hang up, please? It's Jake. Do you mind if I come by your job tonight? I really need to talk to you. I know you're not interested in a relationship, but I am trying to be a good friend. I know you're not happy and I am not trying to tell you to just forget what happened. I want to tell you that I can work through this with you."

He could hear Bella's breathing hitch as he laid out his idea for them. She tried to answer him several times but stopped short.

"Jake, I-I..fine. I'll see you at eight. I didn't drive, so you can pick me up and we can talk."

Bella stumbled over her words to tell Jake that he finally had a reason to be happy this Christmas. Jacob dropped the heavy sadness that he had been lugging around since September.

For the first time in months, his million-dollar smile graced his face. It was at that moment when Billy caught sight of Jacob. As his father rolled back into the room with a wooden box nestled on his lap.

They locked eyes as Jacob quickly told Bella he'd see her at eight. He slowly hung up the phone and stared at the screen in disbelief. Maybe, his wish was coming true. Maybe, this was his moment.

"Are you smiling Jake? I take it you've got good news to share," Billy chuckled as he watched Jacob with curious eyes.

"Yes! I just talked to Bella. She agreed to see me tonight. I want to give her mom's bracelet if you don't mind or I could make her one myself. If you'd rather keep mom's as a memento."

Billy smiled at his son. Of course, he would give him the bracelet. Sarah would have wanted him to give it to Bella if she was still alive. He picked up the box and handed it to Jacob.

"Thanks, Dad. I'm glad we talked, and I am sorry for being so cruel to you lately."

Jacob bent over and hugged his father tightly. Both men were fighting back tears. Jacob let his father go and both men smirked at each other.

"So, what's the plan son? What are you going to say? Are you going to ask her why she hasn't responded to you letters."

Jacob thought about it and decided he didn't want to beg. He was just going to lay his cards on the table once and for all. He wanted to take a chance and believe that his Christmas wish would come true.

At seven sharp, Jake was ready to go. He had the box his father had given him that held the bracelet that used to grace his mother's wrist inside. He also had a CD mix with some songs he thought set a nice mood and he'd packed a few drinks and snacks.

The most shocking thing he did was his attire. Jacob pulled out the brand new outfit, which was an early Christmas gift from Rachel. She thought his attempt to sweep Bella of her feet was like a modern day teenage romance novel. So like any good book the leading man needed to look the part.

Jacob glanced at his crisp white, button- up shirt in the mirror. He couldn't help smirking a little at his reflection. He even went the extra mile and put on the silver, white, and gray tie. He was fumbling with it when Billy appeared at Jake's bedroom door.

"Do you need some help son? I think I still know how to tie one of those," Billy chuckled as he closed the distance between them.

Jacob kneeled down and let his father work his magic on his tie. When he was finished, Jacob rose to his feet. Billy was able to take in the rest of his attire. He was wearing faded jeans, the fancy kind that kids in bigger cities wore. Billy was amazed at the fact that Jake also had on a grey vest, and black motorcycle boots.

"Thanks, Dad. I just want to say I am sorry about how..."

Billy motioned for Jacob to stop and went into his own form of apology, "It's water under the bridge son. Is that the outfit Rachel sent you?"

Both Black men broke out into huge light blinding smiles. Jake nodded his head and grabbed his things. Billy went with Jake to the door in order to see him off. Once he saw Jacob get into the rabbit and pull off, Billy looked up to the heavens.

"I miss you Sarah, I hope you can help him with Bella. I don't know what they would do without each other," Billy whispered to the sky and then wheeled himself into the house. He had done all he could for Bella and Jake. This was in their hands now.

Bella knew what she needed to do. The clock clicked closer until eight o'clock. She was tired of running from him. For the first time in months, she felt like she was on the mend. She knew Jacob could never walk away from her.

In the meantime, Bella tried to focus on the task at hand. but her mind was off in another world. In this world, she never was with Edward. She walked away from him as soon as she figured out what he was. In this world, she never went through any of the pain, the emptiness, the denial caused by him.

Bella closed her eyes and one image filled it. Jacob. He was her lifeline and he didn't even know it. She sat alone at night when her nightmares jarred her awake and would look at or read the tokens of love he had sent her. Poems, love letters, music, cards, flowers, and the list goes on.

"I am not good enough for him," Bella whispered to the air around her.

"Not good enough for who?"

Bella jumped at the sound of the sultry, baritone, voice that belonged to Jake. A smile slowly crept onto here face. She opened her eyes and the immediately racked over every inch of him. He looked like a man; Bella bit her lips as she thought about him being her man.

"Jake, wow what's with the clothes? You look like we're going somewhere special. I feel under dressed," Bella looked down at her clothes, she was wearing a jade colored knit sweater and her trusty pair of Levi jeans.

"You look beautiful, you always look beautiful, Bells," Jacob was giving her the smile she adored the one that made all the colors in the universe shine brighter.

Mike had been watching Bella for a while now. She had even confided in him about her feelings for Jacob. Even though, Mike had held a little bit of hope for something to develop between them his main goal was her happiness. In the end, Mike knew that Bella and Jacob for that matter would make each other happy.

He slowly approached the couple. Mike looked at the way they were mesmerized by each other. He figured they needed a little nudge in the right direction. Mike called for Bella's attention, "Hey Bella, It's Christmas Eve you can go it's only a few minutes until it's time for you to leave. Have fun with Jake and by the way, Merry Christmas, man!"

Mike waited until Bella had turned her head and he winked at Jake as he mouthed, _"Good luck!"_

Jacob chuckled at Mike and helped Bella with her things. They walked in a comfortable silence to his car. The closer they got to his car the closer Bella moved toward him. By the time they got to the door, she had slipped her hand into his. Jacob tuned his head and smirked at her.

"Your being really friendly tonight, are you feeling okay?"

"I am feeling better than okay Jake, I feel great."

Bella took a deep breath as a cool breeze blew around them.

Jacob was admiring her she still had dark circles under her eyes but she looked a hundred times better than she did back in October. With her eyes closed, he moved in toward her face. He let go of her hand and brought his hands to her cheek so that he had her face trapped between his palms.

Bella knew this was the moment. The moment when her words and actions would either bless them or curse them. She loved Jacob. It was always there. She had always known in the back of her mind that Jacob was where she would end up.

"Jake, I am in love with you," she whispered into the small space between them.

"You are? You haven't been acting like it."

"I know, I am sorry. I should have listened to you about everything. You were right. I just hope you can at least still be my friend," Bella dragged out her words and diverted her eyes away from his.

"Bella, I can't be your friend. I just..."

Bella knocked his hands away from her face. She turned away from as a searing pain went off in her chest. Bella spun around and yelled, "Well you fooled me! With all you love letters and cards. I thought you loved me too! I guess you're just like him. I am just a plaything that can be tossed about!"

Jacob was stunned he was going to tell her he was in love with her and couldn't bear to be anything less. He closed the distance between them in under a minute. Bella looked a little apprehensive of his next move. Jake, on the other hand was tired of waiting so he went for it and kissed her.

_"Ewww, girls are nasty!"_

"Do you want me to finish the story or not?"

"Sorry, keep going."

So, that Christmas Eve everything fell into place for Bella and Jacob. After their stand off in front of Newton's they went back to her house, watched old Christmas movies, and talked. Eventually, it got somewhat late, so Jacob figured it was now or never.

Jacob reached over Bella for the remote and cut the television off. Bella turned to see what was going on. Jake simply nodded and slid off the couch to kneel in front of Bella.

"I want to give you something and I should have kept with the tradition of waiting till midnight but I couldn't help it. Plus I don't think Charlie would want to find me coming through your window in the middle of the night," Jacob chuckled a little bit at the end.

"All right, so what are you doing? We should wait at least to we finish high school to get married don't you think?"

Jake chuckled, "Bells, as long as you love me I can wait forever. We can spend every Christmas Eve and day just like this. However, I would love if you could wear something that's very important to me. I trust you to keep it safe."

He reached into his pocket and removed the small wooden box. Jacob opened it to reveal a bracelet that was sterling silver. The links looked freshly polished and shined in the moonlight from the window. The wooded carved heart swayed a little because Jake's hand was shaky.

"Jake, I don't know if you should give me that. I know it's your mothers," Bella sounded apprehensive.

"I want you to have it Bella. My mom would want me to give it and my heart to the girl of my dreams. The girl that I wished for every night. That girl is you Bells, it's always been you."

_"Oh, brother! Don't make them kiss again please?"_

"All right, what happens next then? Since you know the story so well."

"You gave her the bracelet and she decided to love you forever and ever?"

"That's true but what about the part where she came to my house at midnight?"

"_Oh! I forgot about that part...I guess you can tell me that, but please Daddy no kissing! It's gross! You know Santa doesn't like it. They have germs Daddy!"_

Jacob chuckled and then finished telling the rest of the story. Bella did accept the bracelet but also she accepted that Jake was there for her. He always had been and he always will be. That night Bella crept out of her house to see Jacob.

She claimed it was her turn to write him a love letter. The letter however read like a story. It chronicled all their biggest moments up until that point. In the years that followed, Jacob always added a charm to Bells bracelet. Something he carved every year in secret. In addition, Bella continued to add on to their love letter.

"So what do we call the letter that Mommy and Daddy write every year? What do we call the story of how we all became a family?"

_"A Tale of Two Christmas Wishes."_

Alexander yawned out the words in a lazy voice. The yawning brought Jacob out of his story and he gazed at his son. Jacob was still in shock about how Alex's features were the perfect mixture of the Bells and himself.

"I love that story Daddy! It's the best bedtime story ever. Will Santa be here in the morning?"

Alexander was more asleep than awake. His eyes were already closed and soon he would slip into a peaceful sleep, "I love you Alex, you're the best gift I could ever ask for."

Jacob Black looked at his son, as a sense of peace engulfed him like a blanket. Jake even smiled as he thought about how far they had grown as a family. Moreover, he thought about how all of this almost never happened.

Their children loved to hear about how everyone in their family got a happily-ever-after. Especially, around Christmas time. That's when Bella took her special bracelet. The same bracelet that Sarah wore and it would one day belong to her granddaughter.

So every year in a silent tribute. Bella adorned her wrist in the piece for the whole month of December. Now that Jake had added charms to it. The bracelet was a symbol of how much Sarah and Bella loved their protectors. The bracelet was a symbol of how Jacob and Billy never gave up on them.

Their children may not have been told about vampires and werewolves but they knew that their mother had, had her heart broken into a million pieces by someone that she had loved and their father Jacob had come to the rescue like Prince Charming and had awoken sleeping Bella from her slumber of heartbreak.

Bella stood at the doorframe, she smiled at them, then rubbed on her now very pregnant stomach. Bells pushed off the frame and waddled over to her two favorite men.

"Bryce is sound asleep. She wanted to hear that story too. I think you tell it way better than me, Mr. Black."

Bella was smiling at Jacob as he turned and kissed her perfectly round belly. He looked into her eyes and silently thanked the heavens for his parents. Jacob couldn't shake the feeling that his mother had a hand in bring them together from the spirit world.

"Oh! Look at that, little Sarah knows her daddy from his kisses already."

Jacob got up and led Bella to bed. That night they dreamed about their future not just as a couple, but as a family. Jacob dreamed about the day when he'd be able to tell baby Sarah the same bedtime story on Christmas Eve.

Alexander, Bryce, and Sarah loved hearing about their Grandpa Billy and how he had made the heart charm out of wood to show their Grandma Sarah how much he loved her. The Black household had fond memories of Christmas that would be remembered for generations to come.


End file.
